Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-02-26

because be was such IN egotistical ass as
to Keep The ktter proposing it, which she bud
duly returned, among his rapcrs as a aenti-
n@ntai record. Or course somebody cventu-
ally found it."
Good night said T~hatchcr, rising
abruptly. III stayed hero much longer I
should tcgin 10 disbellcve my own mother"
"lhavc known Of such hereditary ~traits," y
returned lIaricwc with a laugh. "But come,
you must not 20 without the champagne"
He lNi tile way 10 the odjacent room. whirh
proved M be only the ante-cha,mler of
another, ON the threshold Of wl,icl, Thatcher
stopped with genuine surprise. 1t was an
elegantly Furnished library.
"Syharite! Why was I never here beforef'
"Be'ausa you came as q client; Tonight
You are my guest. All who enter here leave
their business. with their hats, In the hall.
Look; there isn't n law book on those shelves;
that table never was defaced by a title
deed Or parchment. You look puzzled
Well, it was u whim Of mine to put my resi-
.lencc and my workshop under the some roof,
yet 70 distinct that they would never inter-
fsre with each other. You know the house
nl0ve il let out to dodgers. I occupy the 6rst
fioor with my mother aud sister. and this IS
my rarlor. 10 my work in that severe
room that fronts the street; here is where I
play. a MAJ must have something else in
life than mere business. I find it less harm
full AMI expensive 10 have my pleasure here"
Thatcher bad sunk moodiiy in the embrac-
ing arms of an easy chair. He was thinking
deeply; he was fond Of books, too, and. like
oil men who have Jared hard and led wander
ing lives. be knew the value Of cultivated re-
pose. Like all men who have been obliged
to sleep under blankets and In the open air,
be appreciated the Injuries Of linen sheets
and a frescoed roof. It Is, by the way, only
your sick city clerk or you dyspeptic clergy.
man, who fancy that they have found In the
bad bread, fried steaks, and frowzy 1annels
Of mountain picnicing the true art Of
living. And It is q somewhat notable fact
that your true m~ountaineer or your gentle
man who has been obliged to honestly trough
Il" does not, as general thing. write books
about its advantages, or implore their fellow
mortals to come and share their solitude and
their discomfortA
Thoroughly approaching the taste and COM
fort of IIarlowc's library, yet half envious Of
its owner. and half suspicious that his own
earnest life for the past few years might have
been different, Thatcher suddenly started from
his seat and walked towards a parlor easel,
whereon stood q picture. It was Carmen de
Haro's first sketcho Of. the furnace and the mine.
II 500 you are staekpn with that picture"
said liarlowc, pausing with the champagne
bottle in his hand. '"You show your good
taste. It's been much admired. Observe
how splendidly that freight plays over the
sleeping face Of that figure, yet brings out by
very contrast its almost deathlike ropose.
Thue ls1ks aro powerfully handled; what q
suggestion of mystery In those shadowsl
You know the painterl"
Thatcher m~urtnurtsl, "Miss De Haro," with
q new aud rather odd eifco.sclousuess In
speaking lier name.
ayes. And you know the story Of the pic.
ture, of courseF"
Thatcher thought 10 didn't. Well, no. in
fact h. lid not remember.
"Why. this res:uml*nt figure was al old
Spanish liver Of hers, whom shc telicvel tn
have been murdered there. It's q ghastly
fancy, isn't itT
Two things annoyed Thatcher; first tho
cpithut ~"lnver," us applied to Concho Ivy
another IMAM. second, that the picture be-
n-,,n by
ayes" lit broke out finally; "but how did
~" get 1t"
"Dl,, | honght it Of her. I've been Il sort Of
mtrnn Of ter ever since I found ont how she
staul towards U.S.. As size was quito alone
her. in Washington, my mother and sister
have taken her up, and havo been doing The
sucinl thing"
"tiow long sinepln asked Thatcher.
"Uh. hot long. Tho day shu tclegraphoi
you she cauic hero to nov what she could dc
for US, uni wien l sud nothing could In don.
except u knr congress OF, why sho wen,
aud n,h Il. For SIZE, anil she alone, got that
sjxsxh out Of the senator. but, " hs added,
o lttlc u,%.hi.v0usly, "you seem to know
very little ats'ut her"
"No-l-that is-I've been very busy late
ly." returned Thatcher, staring at LLe picture
"lkxs she come hero oftenl"
ayes. lately, quito often; she was here Til.
evening with Iluther; was here, l think, whei
you came"
Tl,ut:her Looked intcntly at EIarlowe. Blu,
t!lat geltlemnn's face lntrayul no confusion
Thats.bcr tuiillai bis ylus q little awkwaislly
tossed OF the liquor at q drauyht, and russ Il
his ieet.
"tione, old fellow, you're not going now
shnn't lnilutt it" said Harlowe, laying hi.
tand kindly On his cIiont's shoulder. "You'rs
out Of sorts. Stay herp with ms tonight
Our accommodations arv not large, but ars
elastic. Gun tHstow you comfortably unit
morning. Wait hure u moment, while l give
thu iwsassary orders"
Thatcher WIS not sorry to he loft alone. II
Tho lust half hour hc hud 'lec0ille convinced
tbut his lovefOr Carmen IL Ilaro l,ul lHcu il
so,ie way most %drcadfuily abused. While b.
was hu.l at work in California, she wa.
Icing introduced: in Washington society BY
parties with eligible brothers, who bough,
her paintings. 1t is u relief u, tho truly jeal
Gus mimi " indulge in plurals. Thatche,
liked u think tllut she was already beset 81
hundreds of brothers.
lie still kept starring atthe picture Byant
by it faded away iu part, aud a very vivid rec
objection of tue misty, midnight, moonlit wall
he iiad once taken with her cainc luck, aMt
rriillcd the canvas with its magic. He saw
tho ruined furnace; tie dark, o%vcrlangin:
muses. of rock, the trembling intricucics O